Our Impact

All Regions

Ending global poverty depends on creating a sustainable impact. We rigorously collect and analyze data from our projects to continually improve our approach and scale up progress. Below is TechnoServe’s topline impact from the past year.

How technoserve provides solutions for poverty - Our business solutions for poverty give clients the financial benefits they need to improve their incomes

$485m

Financial Benefits

beneficiaries of technoserve's business solutions for poverty include smallholder farmers icon

1.2m

People/Enterprises with Increased Revenue

women beneficiaries are a key focus in our business solutions for poverty icon

42%

Women Beneficiaries

ROI icon

$5.6

Average Return On Investment

TechnoServe was rated the #1 nonprofit at reducing poverty by ImpactMatters

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Our Measurement Approach

TechnoServe rigorously tracks the revenues of the people and businesses we support–along with many other indicators–to ensure the effectiveness of our programming. We then analyze these data to identify successful project models and learn how to improve future approaches.

As one of the premier organizations helping fight global poverty, transparency is the cornerstone of TechnoServe’s measurement approach. We share data on the impact all our projects create, regardless of whether it looks good or bad. We believe this transparency can inform greater and more effective programs aimed at reducing poverty, both within TechnoServe and in the broader development community.

View 2023 Impact Data

Measurement Blogs

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Cost-Effective Impact

Just as investors seek the maximum financial return for their clients, TechnoServe works to turn every program dollar into the greatest possible income gains for our own clients: the people we work with in the developing world. We analyze the cost-effectiveness of all our work, applying lessons to programs across our portfolio.

$5.6

Average income gain for every $1 in program cost.

Spotlight: Big Impact for the Money

YEP program participants in India

TechnoServe’s Youth Employability Program built on the success of an earlier program, which developed a model for helping young people in Mumbai’s marginalized communities enter the white-collar workforce. After that program closed in 2016, this follow-on initiative scaled that model and closed in 2018 with an ROI of more than 20.

$22.80

Average income gain for every $1 in program cost.

External Evaluations

Whenever possible, TechnoServe leverages external evaluators to conduct independent assessments and evaluate our implementation model. Learn more about external evaluations of our work.

 

2023 Measurement Changes

In 2023, TechnoServe added two new metrics: “Emissions Reduced” and “Land Under Regenerative Management.” 

“Emissions Reduced”: This metric measures tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tC02e), which means the number of metric tons of CO2 emissions with the same global warming potential as one metric ton of another greenhouse gas. This figure estimates tons of greenhouse gas avoided, reduced, or sequestered by projects that promote regenerative practices. For this inaugural year, six TechnoServe projects provided data. 

“Land Under Regenerative Management”: This metric measures farmland or natural areas where TechnoServe clients have applied regenerative practices to land and water where we can attribute improvements in protection, management, or restoration to project activities. Data was collected from 11 projects in this first pilot year. 

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Resources

The Lasting Impact of TechnoServe’s Work with Coffee Farmers

Triple Line was contracted by TechnoServe to evaluate the impact of the East Africa Coffee Initiative (2008-11) in Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia with the objective of helping smallholder farmers to improve productivity and increase incomes.

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Accelerating Impact from Entrepreneurs

Lessons learned from TechnoServe’s work with SGBs in Central America, based on research conducted by Emory University and the Impulsa Tu Empresa program.

English PDF